Car-coupling



(No Model.)

B. W. SMITH.

' GAR COUPLING. No. 352,582. Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

Immp Q IWI'HI'NIIWIHFH'III Q P i N H HHIHJWIHHH 4 5 a H r Q E 1 H i H N w R R I F? (B w 0 9 E v as UNITED STATES PATENT FFICEs CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,582, dated November 16, 1886.

Application filed August 21, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN W. SMITH, of the town of Rockport, county of Spencer, and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Draw-Bars and Coupling- Pins for Railroad-Ours, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in an improved construction of car-couplings by which the operation of coupling is automatically performed and the variations in the heights of different cars may be suited, so as not to prevent the successful operation of my invention, thus overcoming a common disadvantage in automatic couplings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of one of the draw-bars of myimproved coupling; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a' longitudinal section through one of my improved couplings,the pin and other parts being shown in coupled position at the left and in the position they occupy while in the act of coupling at the right; and Fig. 4, a view in front elevation of the coupling-pin separately.

The draw-bars illustrated are of substantially the well-known form, having a,longitudinal cavity, F, to receive the coupling-lin k, and a vertical perforation or pin-hole, G, for the coupling-pin. The mouth of said opening in said draw-bar is formed flaring, and is provided with a bridge, R, to support the coupling-link, and a projection, P, across its top edge to guide the end of the link in its entrance to the draw-bar. On their tops said draw-bars are provided with standards D, in which grooves are formed to receive the projections O on the upper end of the couplingpins, as will be presently described.

The coupling-pinsare inthe general form of astraight bar ofiron, havingaround-faced projection, B,on their front sides, so arranged as to fit into the mouth of the cavity ofthe draw-bars when in coupled position, as shown at the left in Fig. 3. On their upper ends they are pr0- vided with a pin, 0, extending out from each side, (or may be projections formed thereon) the ends of which enter the grooves in the standards D by means .Of notches at, extending out from said grooves to the side of the stand- 'SerialNo.175,004. (N0 model.)

ard, as shown, and thus adapting said coupling-pins to he slid up and down. The lower ends of said pins are preferably formed rounded on their back corners, and are proyided with a'notch, L, which, as said pins are elevated, are adapted to engagewith notches a at the rear of the pin-hole G, near its top. A handle, I, is also preferably formed onthe top of each pin, by which it maybe adjusted when desired.

The link E is any suitable link for the purpose and needs no special description.

A projection, N, having a curved front face, is formed in the lower part of the cavity F, just behind the lower end of the coupling-pin when in coupled position, and thus as said pin is forced backwhen struck by the link of the approaching car it strikes said curved surface and is given an upward movement,

permitting said link to pass under and behind said pin and complete the operation of coupling the cars, as will be readily understood.

At the left, in Fig. 3, I have shown anotch, H, in the top of the cavity for holding the end of the link when desired. As when the car to which the one carrying the link is to be coupled is the lowest it will be desired to lower the end of said link to enter the approaching draw-head, whichis accomplished by simply placing the end of the link in said notch, thus allowing the outer end to drop down. IVhen it is desired to drop said outer end farther than allowed by the notch, the inner end may be allowed to slide up and rest in the extreme top of said cavity, which will allow the outer end to fall considerably, so

that it will strike the mouth F of the ap-? proaching draw-head, even though it be considerable lower than the draw-head carrying the link. When it is desired to hold the link in a substantially horizontal position, as when the two cars are of the same height, it is simply pushed back to bring its inner end under the shoulder in the extreme rear end of the cavity, as will be readily. understood.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-bar having grooved standards on its top, coupling-pin mounted in said draw-bar, its top end being mounted and arranged to slide in said grooved standards and having a round-faced projection on its front side, whereby as saidprojection is struck by the link of the other draw-head said pin is slid up in said grooves and said link permitted to pass under r a conpling-pin -A withthe guidegrooves D, "concave slope S "in to wan of cavity F, the

it, substantially as setforth, ,7 .f 2. The combination of the draw barsprovided with grooved standards on their tops,

the coupling-pins A, having the projecting,

parts 0 at their top ends, said projecting parts being mounted in the grooves in said standards, andisai'd .pinsAJbeing.formed;withithe;

round-faced projections B o n theirfront sides and also being formed with a'taperd or curved lower end, and the curved projections N at the" ralrof said lower end of thepinfall substaii-f essrib fi id" 9?ths'w e sii ii i'3lfThe combination, with the draw-head or a oar c'oupli'ngfof a coupling-pin arranged to be vertically; adjustable in said draivfhead, said coupl ingpin being provided on its front side'tvitha rounded or curved-out projection arranged to meet the end' of the link" of the other'drawrhead, whereby said link operates upon saidprojee'tion to lift said pin and pen mit itself to pass under it, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination. of the draw-bar and projection N in bottom wall of cavity F, the

1 projectiorijP in top wall of cavityF, and the slot G, with the shoulder a, the slot being so spaced and arranged as to form a backing for stheironnded; end-of the pin iAiwhen'in the act of. coupling o rhrais ing up for the coupling'link "toeiitertlie cavityof the draw-bar, as shown and described, and for the purpo'sesof an improved coupling apparatus for railroad-cars.

1h testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. H

A BENJAMIN W. SMITH.

V Witnesses:

' "0'. JONES,

J; D. ARMSTRONG. 

